• musical ensemble of Royal Infantry Regiment of Wilhelm I, King of Prussia: participating ensemble

News of this event was published in Prager Morgenpost 29/8/1863 in a report in the section of daily Prague news and as an advertisement. The two texts relayed essentially the same information but differed in detail. The report noted: ‘Folk-festival on the Rohan Island. Tomorrow takes place on the Rohan Island a representation [‘Darstellung’] of the great constitutional Folk-festival in the Vienna Prater of 18th August 1863, at which a great many spectacles and amusements are not to be missed. There will be gymnasts, tightrope walkers, folk dancers, performances taking place in the Marionette Theatre [‘Marionettentheater’] as well as on the optical-mechanical Theatre, it is also arranged for there to be swings [‘Schaukeln’], roundabouts [‘Ringspiel’], ascents of a climbing frame. In addition there is to be found at this festival a peasant-race [‘Bauern-Wettrennen’], a colossal comet will ascend to some 40 feet. The music ensemble of the Royal Infantry Regiment King Wilhelm I. of Prussia will perform select pieces.’

The advertisement published by Prager Morgenpost 29/8/1863 announced: ‘Rohan Island. Tomorrow Representation of the great constitutional Folk-Festival in the Vienna Prater of 18th August 1863. Many un-missable spectacles and amusements as noted on the bill poster. In particular to be noted: Peasant-Prize-Race [‘Bauern-Preis-Wett-Rennen] on live horses and the ascent of a colossal Comet to a height of 40 feet. The Regimental Musical Ensemble of the worthy Royal Inf.-Reg. King Wilhelm I of Prussia will be participating. Commencing at 3 o’clock.’ The event was also noted in the Tagesanzeiger daily almanac of Prague social musical entertainments appearing in Prager Morgenpost 30/8/1863: ‘Folk-festival [Volksfest] on the Rohan Island.’

Whether these two events were affected by severe thunderstorms affecting Prague on the evenings of 30/8/1863 and 31/8/1863 was not noted by any subsequent report. The inclement weather was described in a report published by Politik 1/9/1863.